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Liam Gallagher racist tweet and the parasocial fan defense

Liam Gallagher racist tweet and the parasocial fan defense

Straits Times13 hours ago
Liam Gallagher, lead singer of British rock band Oasis, performing on stage at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 4.
SINGAPORE – On July 1, just days before English rock band Oasis would kick off its comeback tour, its lead singer Liam Gallagher made a post on X that included a slur for Asians: 'chingchong'.
The post was met with much-deserved anger, especially from Asian accounts. What was galling for Asians was that the Oasis Live '25 Tour would head to Seoul and Tokyo in October, meaning that he was mocking the people who would be giving him the cash to buy more sports cars.
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Liam Gallagher racist tweet and the parasocial fan defense
Liam Gallagher racist tweet and the parasocial fan defense

Straits Times

time13 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Liam Gallagher racist tweet and the parasocial fan defense

Liam Gallagher, lead singer of British rock band Oasis, performing on stage at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 4. SINGAPORE – On July 1, just days before English rock band Oasis would kick off its comeback tour, its lead singer Liam Gallagher made a post on X that included a slur for Asians: 'chingchong'. The post was met with much-deserved anger, especially from Asian accounts. What was galling for Asians was that the Oasis Live '25 Tour would head to Seoul and Tokyo in October, meaning that he was mocking the people who would be giving him the cash to buy more sports cars.

Working together on The Old Guard 2 was an ‘extra gift' for actresses Charlize Theron, Uma Thurman
Working together on The Old Guard 2 was an ‘extra gift' for actresses Charlize Theron, Uma Thurman

Straits Times

time17 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Working together on The Old Guard 2 was an ‘extra gift' for actresses Charlize Theron, Uma Thurman

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Uma Thurman (left) and Charlize Theron at Netflix's premiere of The Old Guard 2 in Los Angeles on June 25. LOS ANGELES – Two of Hollywood's fiercest female action stars, Charlize Theron and Uma Thurman, go head to head in The Old Guard 2, now streaming on Netflix. The film also introduces a keris-wielding immortal played by Malaysia-born English actor Henry Golding and inspired by the legendary Malay warrior Hang Tuah. A sequel to the 2020 action-fantasy hit The Old Guard, it sees the stoic, battle-scarred Andy (Theron) once again leading a band of immortal mercenaries, who have protected the world for centuries. This time, they face off against one of the oldest immortals, a shadowy figure known as Discord (Thurman), whose agenda threatens their mission to protect humanity. At The Old Guard 2's recent Los Angeles premiere, Theron – the 49-year-old South Africa-born star of Atomic Blonde (2017) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – said she had long hoped to work with Thurman. 'Really glad I got the chance on this, and felt really lucky that she said yes,' says Theron, who won a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in crime drama Monster (2003). Charlize Theron in The Old Guard 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX The two quickly bonded on set. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Construction starts on Cross Island Line Phase 2; 6 MRT stations in S'pore's west ready by 2032 Singapore New SkillsFuture requirements by April 2026 to mandate regular training for adult educators Singapore askST Jobs: Facing intrusive demands from your employer? Here's what you can do Singapore MPs should not ask questions to 'clock numbers'; focus should be improving S'poreans' lives: Seah Kian Peng Singapore Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House Tech Hackathons produce scam simulation tool for education, platform identifying birds based on calls Singapore NUS College draws 10,000 applications for 400 places, showing strong liberal arts interest Singapore Life After... blazing biomedical research trail in S'pore: Renowned scientist breaks new ground at 59 'Just being around her, it's impressive to kind of see what she's achieved and how she has such a healthy outlook on all of it,' says Theron, who in past interviews has said she regards Thurman as her 'sensei', or teacher, when it comes to the action genre. 'And that she still has her heart and soul intact. 'She's a good and kind person and a great mum, and we related on so much of that that by the time we actually shot it, it felt like this extra gift that we got,' says Theron, a single parent with two adopted children aged nine and 12. Thurman, known for her iconic turn as sword-wielding assassin The Bride in the Kill Bill action films (2003 to 2004), says Theron personally reached out to her about joining the cast. Uma Thurman in The Old Guard 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX 'She's a special person and she wrote me a really beautiful, personal e-letter. I'm so old-fashioned, I call e-mails letters,' says the 55-year-old American actress, who also starred in the crime drama Pulp Fiction (1994). 'I thought her work in the first one was so spectacular, and I knew she wanted to make the second one something very special, and was excited to support her in that,' Thurman adds. The star has a 23-year-old son and a 26-year-old daughter – actress Maya Hawke – with American actor and former husband Ethan Hawke, 54. She also has a 12-year-old daughter with her ex-partner, French financier Arpad Busson. Like Theron and Thurman, Golding, who plays a reclusive older immortal named Hang, threw himself into the action scenes. Henry Golding in The Old Guard 2. PHOTO: NETFLIX But 'I always get myself in trouble with the stunts', says the star of romantic comedy Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and the A Simple Favor thriller franchise (2018 to 2025). 'I go 100 miles an hour, and then the day before, when you're just going through the choreography, trying to get the movements and timing right, that's always when it happens. 'Because you're all relaxed and your muscles aren't contracted and keeping everything in place, I always pop something in my lower back,' says the 38-year-old, who has two daughters aged two and four with his wife Liv Lo, a 40-year-old Taiwanese media personality. 'But strap it up, painkillers and on with the show,' he adds. 'Luckily, nothing was broken, so nothing too serious.' Cast member Henry Golding at a premiere for The Old Guard 2 in Los Angeles on June 25. PHOTO: REUTERS In a recent interview with the Malay Mail newspaper, Golding reveals that it was his idea to draw on the legend of Hang Tuah, a 15th-century warrior and martial arts master, to flesh out his character. 'From my time growing up in Malaysia, I was always enamoured by the folklore of Hang Tuah. 'I don't think we have seen this kind of representation in a Hollywood movie. So, I'm really hoping Malaysians and South-east Asians can catch on to this.'

At The Standard, Constance Lau's garden wedding came to life
At The Standard, Constance Lau's garden wedding came to life

Vogue Singapore

time17 hours ago

  • Vogue Singapore

At The Standard, Constance Lau's garden wedding came to life

When Singaporean actress Constance Lau met her now-husband Jonathan Tan through a friend in a club, she never thought she would be ready for a relationship. 'At the start, when we were just going out as friends, I cancelled on him many times. I think he actually got quite annoyed at me, because he's the sort of person who hates last-minute cancellations,' she recalls sheepishly. 'But I offered to make it up to him by meeting on another day. Somehow, I ended up falling for him, because he's just this sweet and really genuine person. It worked out because we found out we had very similar family values and same life goals. We knew we wanted to start a life together.' Just two years later, he popped the question. 'It was more of a discussion really. It had been the direction we wanted to head towards, so we even went to pick out the engagement ring together.' As for the actual proposal? A serene, peaceful lake by Mount Fuji was the backdrop—with just the two of them. 'I had told him before that I didn't want something in front of a lot of other people. I love driving so we took a drive from Tokyo to Mount Fuji in the winter. He just set up a tripod and I knew it was going to happen.' Intimate, honest and beautiful; akin to the couple's approach towards their recent nuptials as well. 'Everyone talks about wedding prep like it's an absolute nightmare. We didn't want that. We were chill, just went with the flow, and didn't want to be uptight about anything. We had initially thought to do it at the end of last year, but when the year end rolled around and we hadn't done anything, we just decided to push it to this year instead,' Lau explains. In accordance with Chinese tradition however, they couldn't be doing any wedding ceremonies in the seventh month. So June it was. The time crunch may have been a concern for most, but with their shared mindset, things seemed to fall into place like missing puzzle pieces of a larger whole. Hunting down both dresses for example, was accomplished within a single trip to multi-brand boutique, The Ivory Bridal. 'I had wanted something with a lace, high neck—that very English, Kate Middleton-esque look for my walk in. But it didn't work well when I tried it on,' she starts. 'I also tried a few other ball gowns and heart-shaped necklines, but there was nothing that really stood out to me—nothing except for the floral bolero. The shape of the flowers was perfect, and I just needed to find a gown that fitted my body lines well.' So happened that a few dresses later, she chanced upon a sleek bodice number from Rita Vinieris Parker. Seeing the sculptural florals adorning her arms, everything felt like it was falling into place for the big day. To contrast the white, she opted for a stark, playful pair of green Manolo Blahnik shoes—perfect for her afternoon affair in the gardens. 'Green for a pop of colour, and red ones to match my tea ceremony outfit,' she happily quips. So had she always wanted a garden wedding, and at The Standard no less? 'A garden wedding was definitely what we had been thinking about and we had already shortlisted a few places, but when we went to scout those locations, something didn't sit right with us,' she says. 'I remember thinking that both The Standard in LA and in Bangkok had nice spaces—so why not go and check them out? I went down and saw the garden and it was just perfect. It had these beautiful tiers and levels within the garden and I loved how different it looked from different angles.' Dress code wise, her guests showed up and showed out in plenty of brights and florals—in theme with the garden wedding. 'My dad didn't wear the shirt I bought him though. He had bigger plans and turned up in something orange,' she jokes. 'It was too late to say anything though, because by the time I saw him, he and my mom were about to walk me down the aisle. That's probably what I remember the most from my wedding day; my dad holding my hand, and I was holding onto my mum. That particular moment meant the most to me,' she shares. As for how their special day came to a close? With nothing but more joy, laughter and precious hours spent with the couple's loved ones over a merry lunch reception (and a little karaoke after-party) throughout the rest of the day. Below, Lau takes us through her special day—in pictures. Jose Daniel Retrato 1 / 35 All things red: an auspicious colour symbolising joy and new beginnings. My four-piece jewellery set (四點金), alongside the comb and mirror used during my hair combing ceremony the night before. Jose Daniel Retrato 2 / 35 Make-up for breakfast? Jose Daniel Retrato 3 / 35 Ready to begin a new chapter Jose Daniel Retrato 4 / 35 Little man, big mission Jose Daniel Retrato 5 / 35 Waiting for my husband's grand entrance Jose Daniel Retrato 6 / 35 Laughter is our love language Jose Daniel Retrato 7 / 35 Tea ceremony with Papa Lau Jose Daniel Retrato 8 / 35 Always surrounded by love, forever grateful to my parents Jose Daniel Retrato 9 / 35 Harmony and sweet beginnings Jose Daniel Retrato 10 / 35 Papa Lau holding the red umbrella, his blessing as I step into a new chapter. Couldn't feel more loved. Jose Daniel Retrato 11 / 35 Who says the bride can't take the wheel on her big day? Jose Daniel Retrato 12 / 35 'When can I have a cousin?' Jose Daniel Retrato 13 / 35 A little commotion for this Renee Couture cheongsam. Florally speaking too, we were having the best day ever! Jose Daniel Retrato 14 / 35 Making sure everything's okay…while keeping an eye on my cutest (and cheekiest) wedding guests Jose Daniel Retrato 15 / 35 The cheekiest 'guest' in Zegna, out here farming his aura Jose Daniel Retrato 16 / 35 I chose these green satin Manolo Blahnik heels as a little nod to my playful side, something unexpected that would peek out as I walk down the aisle. Jose Daniel Retrato 17 / 35 She goes by the name of Amanda Ang, my MVP Jose Daniel Retrato 18 / 35 Bestie said: "You need these sunnies". And she was so right! Jose Daniel Retrato 19 / 35 So proud of myself for putting this bouquet together the night before. Jose Daniel Retrato 20 / 35 A quiet moment before everything began Jose Daniel Retrato 21 / 35 Walking down the aisle (or rather, the stairs) with my OGs. A moment etched in my heart forever! Jose Daniel Retrato 22 / 35 Caught a glimpse of him waiting for me Jose Daniel Retrato 23 / 35 Reading my vows, holding back tears and letting every word fill my heart Jose Daniel Retrato 24 / 35 A promise we'll be carrying every day Jose Daniel Retrato 25 / 35 You may kiss the bride! Jose Daniel Retrato 26 / 35 Our first steps together as husband and wife Jose Daniel Retrato 27 / 35 I've never been one to follow norms. I wanted something timeless, bold and refreshingly different, and this gown felt like the truest expression of me. Jose Daniel Retrato 28 / 35 My entire heart, all in one photo! Jose Daniel Retrato 29 / 35 Always one step ahead, guiding me forward Jose Daniel Retrato 30 / 35 This Nicole + Felicia cape was the perfect finishing touch to my wedding dress Jose Daniel Retrato 31 / 35 My brother-in-law, who was also our emcee. The ultimate joker who lights up every room! Jose Daniel Retrato 32 / 35 I wanted my gold hairpieces to complement rather than overpower, so I chose something a little more subtle. Something timeless and classic. Jose Daniel Retrato 33 / 35 Having a moment with my niece, the cutest little guest and my mini partner in crime. Jose Daniel Retrato 34 / 35 We decided on this strawberry cake from Yanagi Cakes just three days before the wedding, her first time creating one this size. Seeing it come to life and sharing my favourite cake with everyone, felt like the most heartfelt way to express love through food. Jose Daniel Retrato 35 / 35 I can still hear this laughter, the cheers, the pure joy echoing all around us

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